WHITE BREADS: THREE MULTIPURPOSE VARIATIONS

Steps:

• Variation 1
• Mix together the flour, salt, powdered milk, sugar, and yeast in a 4-quart bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer). Pour in the egg, butter, and 1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon water and mix with a large metal spoon (or on low speed of the electric mixer with the paddle attachment) until all the flour is absorbed and the dough forms a ball. If the dough seems very stiff and dry, trickle in more water until the dough is soft and supple.
• Sprinkle flour on the counter, transfer the dough to the counter, and begin kneading (or mix on medium speed with the dough hook), adding more flour, if necessary, to create a dough that is soft, supple, and tacky but not sticky. Continue kneading (or mixing) for 6 to 8 minutes. (In the electric mixer, the dough should clear the sides of the bowl but stick ever so slightly to the bottom.) The dough should pass the windowpane test (page 58) and register 80°F. Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
• Ferment at room temperature for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size (the length of time will depend on the room temperature).
• Remove the fermented dough from the bowl and divide it in half for sandwich loaves, into eighteen 2-ounce pieces for dinner rolls, or twelve 3-ounce pieces for burger or hot dog buns. Shape the pieces into boules (page 72) for loaves or tight rounds (page 82) for dinner rolls or buns. Mist the dough lightly with spray oil and cover with a towel or plastic wrap. Allow to rest for about 20 minutes.
• For loaves, shape as shown on page 81. Lightly oil two 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch loaf pans and place the loaves in the pans. For rolls and buns, line 2 sheet pans with baking parchment. Rolls require no further shaping. For hamburger buns, gently press down on the rolls to form the desired shape. For hot dog buns, shape as shown on page 80, though without tapering the ends. Transfer the rolls or buns to the sheet pans.
• Mist the tops of the dough with spray oil and loosely cover with plastic wrap or a towel. Proof the dough at room temperature for 60 to 90 minutes, or until it nearly doubles in size.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F for loaves or 400°F for roll and buns. Brush the rolls or buns with the egg wash and garnish with poppy or sesame seeds. Sandwich loaves also may be washed and garnished, or score them down the center and rub a little vegetable oil into the slit.
• Bake the rolls or buns for approximately 15 minutes, or until they are golden brown and register just above 180°F in the center. Bake loaves for 35 to 45 minutes, rotating 180 degrees halfway through for even baking, if needed. The tops should be golden brown and the sides, when removed from the pan, should also be golden. The internal temperature of the loaves should be close to 190°F, and the loaves should sound hollow when thumped on the bottom.
• When the loaves have finished baking, remove them immediately from the pans and cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing or serving. Rolls should cool for at least 15 minutes on a rack before serving.
• Variation 2
• Proceed as directed for Variation 1, substituting the buttermilk for the water. Add more buttermilk or flour, as needed, while mixing.
• Variation 3
• To make the sponge, mix together the flour and yeast in a 4-quart bowl. Stir in the milk until all the flour is hydrated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and ferment at room temperature for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the sponge becomes aerated and frothy and swells noticeably.
• To make the dough, add the flour, salt, and sugar to the sponge. Then add the egg yolk and butter or other fat. Proceed with step 1 of Variation 1 from this point on, noting that both the first and the second fermentation cycles should be 5 to 10 minutes faster than in the direct-dough method of Variation 1.
• BREAD PROFILE
• Enriched, standard dough; direct or indirect method; commercial yeast
• DAYS TO MAKE: 1
• 1 hour sponge (Variation 3 only); 8 to 10 minutes mixing; 3 1/2 to 4 hours fermentation, shaping, and proofing; 15 to 45 minutes baking
• Commentary
• This is one type of bread that does not greatly improve from a pre-ferment or sponge because so much of the flavor comes from external, rather than internal, factors. Though it can be made by the sponge method, as Variation 3 demonstrates, the fast action and the amount of yeast and enrichments ensure that this is a fast-moving dough whose flavor is largely a result of the enrichments, not the fermentation. For this reason, it is one of the easiest breads to make, whether made by the direct method or the indirect method. It is quite delicious and functional in its many applications regardless of the method followed. Variation 1, however, makes particularly good soft dinner rolls or hot dog or hamburger buns.